Folding book-rack



(No Model.)

W. H. SUGG.

FOLDING BOOK BACK. t No. 485,068. Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

W/TNESSES INVENTOR MW (0. ($2M A 4 TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SUGG, OF TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA.

FOLDING BOOK-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,068, dated October25, 1892.

Application filed November 21, 1891- Serial No. 412,631. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. SUGG, of Tuscaloosa, in the county ofTuscaloosa and State of Alabama, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Folding Book-Racks, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in folding book-racks, such as areadapted for use in holding books and other articles; and its object isto provide a simple means of connecting a series of shelves together, sothat they may be easily held in an extended or folded position, and alsoto construct the shelves so that they may be adjusted as to Width andwill accommodate themselves to the different whole.

To this end my invention consists of certain features of constructionand combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the folding shelves embodying myinvention, showing them extended and in position for use; and Fig. 2 isa perspective view of the shelves in a nearly-folded position, the backof the top shelf being shown raised above the shelf, so that itsconstruction may be the better understood.

The shelves proper 10 are each made up of two parts 11 and 12, the mainpart 11 forming the back portion of the shelf, and the part 12 beingconnected to the part 11 by rods 13, which are secured to the part 12near the ends and slide in recesses in the part 11, and it will. thus beseen that the shelves may be adjusted as to width. This division of theshelves may be made at any desired pointthat is to say, the two partsmay be of nearlyequal width or either part may be made very much widerthan the other, if desired. The special object of having the shelvesextensible laterally, however, is to enable them to fold snugly one uponthe other, as described below. The shelves 10 are pivotally andadpositions of the apparatus as a justably connected together by slatslet-,which are arranged to form lattice-work at the ends of the shelves,and the slats cross each other, being pivoted together, as shown at 15,and a pair of slats arranged at the ends of every two adjacent shelves,the slats extending crosswise from the front corner of one shelf to therear corner of the adjacentshelf. The ends of the slats are pivotedonstuds .16, which project from the ends of the shelves.

The top shelf is provided with mortises 17 near the ends and near therear sides, which mortises are adapted to receive the lugs or links 18,and the links are perforated at their lower ends, as shown at 19 in Fig.2, so that they may be mounted on the rods 13, which slide through theshelf, or they may be secured to independent rods, if desired. Theselinks 18 are pivoted at their upper ends to an ornamental back 20, whichis firmly secured to the top shelf, and it will be understood that anykind of a back may be fastened to the shelf.

The rack is adapted to be suspended upon a wall in the usual way, whichmay be done by attaching the suspendingcords to the upper shelf in theordinary manner. The crossslats 14 hold the shelves the requisitedistance apart and when the shelves are to be folded they are simplypushed together vertically and the slats willth us straighten into anearlyparallel position, as shown in Fig. 2, and to allow them to assumethis position the parts 11 and 12 of the shelves separate, as also shownin Fig. 2. When the shelves are hung up, they will drop naturally intothe correct position and the two parts of the shelves will slidetogether, ready for use.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with sectional shelves,

the top one being provided with mortises and the sections of the shelvesbeing connected by rods secured to one and sliding in're' 5 cesses inthe other, of a back provided with apertured links adapted to enter themortises and to be engaged by the said rods, substantially as described.

2. A folding book-rack consisting of a se- I00 ries of shelves, eachformed oflongitudinal I top shelf and adapted to be engaged by thesections connected by rods secured to one secrods connecting the saidsections, substantion and slidingin recesses-in the other,cr0ss-, tiaiiyas herein shown and described.

slats pivoted together vand having their ends WILLIAM H. SUGG. 5 pivotedto the sections. of two adjacent Witnesses:

shelves, and a back provided with apertured WM. W. BRANDON,

links fitting in mortises of one section of the A. B. SMITH.

